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Youth Baseball First Aid Acute Injuries General cuts and abrasions Management: Clean wound (soap and water is best) and cover it up. Bleeding management: Apply direct pressure, add more bandages if necessary. Nosebleeds Management: Have player sit down and lean forward. Pinch just below the bridge of the nose for 3 consecutive minutes. A cold pack or ice can be applied, but don’t interfere with the 3-minute pinch. Mouth injuries Management: Like most baseball injuries, ice or cold packs are great for pain relief. Have the player bite down gently on some clean gauze. If teeth are knocked out, the best way to preserve them is to reinsert them into the socket before biting on the gauze. If this is not possible, put the teeth in milk or saline (not water) or wrap them in dry gauze. Don’t rinse loose teeth or touch the root of the tooth. Eye injuries Management: For minor eye irritation, have the player sit out and close both eyes to see if tearing action flushes out the foreign body. Next step is to attempt to irrigate the eye with clean water. If this doesn’t work, help the player gently cover both eyes and seek medical attention. Broken bones, sprains, and strains Management: Try not to disrupt the injured area. Leave it in the position you found it in. Don’t try to “straighten it out.” You can gently support the painful area with towels. Use ice or a cold pack for pain relief. Head and neck injuries Management: If player experiences loss of consciousness, headache, confusion, or nausea after a head injury, he/she needs to sit out immediately and get medical attention. If a neck or spinal injury is suspected, call 911 and have someone immobilize the head with two hands until EMS arrives. No moving the player! Medical Emergencies Asthma attacks Possible causes: Secondhand smoke; environmental allergens; exercise Symptoms: Obvious respiratory distress, rapid, loud breathing; wheezing Treatment: The patient’s albuterol inhaler; call for help if not resolved Severe allergic reactions Possible causes: Insect bites or stings; certain foods; medications Symptoms: Hives; swollen lips; vomiting; difficulty breathing Treatment: If breathing is compromised, use patient’s own EpiPen Diabetic hypoglycemia Possible causes: Low blood sugar from not eating enough; too much insulin; vigorous physical activity Symptoms: Trembling; confusion; dizziness; irritability; weakness Treatment: If patient can follow directions, give Gatorade, juice, soda Choking Possible causes: Foreign object in throat, such as food, teeth, mouth guard Symptoms: “Universal choking sign”; can’t speak; obvious distress Treatment: Wrap your arms around patient from behind, put your hand over your closed fist right above patient’s belly button (or chest for large or pregnant chokers) and thrust upwards until object is dislodged or patient loses consciousness. Note: if someone can talk or is coughing, don’t intervene. Seizures Possible causes: Epilepsy; head injury; low blood sugar; heat illness Symptoms: Anything from a “pause” to full body thrashing Treatment: Give patient space. Keep them away from dangerous objects. Don’t restrain patient or try to open their mouth. Heat illness Symptoms: Profuse sweating; dizziness; nausea & vomiting; muscle cramps Management: Move player to a cool place immediately. Provide fluids and rest. General tips • Baseball injuries are rarely serious, but a ball to the face really hurts. Kids may have a hard time controlling their emotions, and might feel embarrassed if they cry. • Be calm. Don’t run. The other players will take their cues from you. • Have the players’ medical release forms at every game and practice. Add the players’ emergency contacts to your cell phone. • Trust your instincts. Ask yourself, “Does this look like a serious injury?” • Facial injuries may bleed a lot. • If you need outside help, specifically assign one adult to get it. • WMLL has an automated external defibrillator (AED) in the concessions building. • Don’t give over-the-counter painkillers without specific instructions from player’s family or medical direction. • Encouraging the injured player to take a few slow, controlled deep breaths is a very effective way to reduce pain. • If you have a player who carries an EpiPen, know how to use it. Ask the parents for an extra one to keep in the equipment bag. • If a bee’s stinger remains in the skin, flick it out with a credit card instead of using tweezers. • Your first aid kit: chemical cold packs, Band-Aids, gauze pads, tape, and compression bandages (ACE). Also nice: wound cleaner, antibiotic ointment, gloves. Disclaimer: This information is not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice, emergency treatment, or formal first aid training. —Sam Huntington, EMT-Paramedic & AHA Instructor